BOTANIC MATERIA MEDICA, 375 
specific gravity about 0.88, but the oil found in 
commerce is of a red-brown color, and much 
less agreeable in odor and taste, varying in den- 
sity, etc. The oil is a hydrocarbon, which con- 
sists of cymene and thymene, these constituting 
the most volatile portions, whilst the balance is 
thymol, a white, crystalline solid recently intro- 
duced as an antiseptic, etc. The oil is used as 
an external remedy altogether, and is considered 
a good adjunct to other rubefacients, 
Oleum Valeraniz, Valerian Oil. Distilled 
from the root of the Valerianze Officinalis,— 
Natural order Valerianacee, When first pre- 
pared, colorless, but by age and exposure it be- 
comes yellow and thick. Odor, pungent, with 
intensified aroma of the root; taste, aromatic 
and warm; specific gravity about 0.95; constit- 
uents, not thoroughly known; rarely found in 
the stores; effects, same as the root. There are 
seven aforementioned volatile oils heavier than 
water, cloves, almond, cinnamon, mustard, 
sasafras, gaultheria and pimento, the two last 
are the heaviest. 
Laurus Camphora, Cinnamonum Camphora, 
Camphora officinarum.—Natural order Laur- 
acee. Native of China and Japan. This 
large evergreen tree is adorned with smooth, 
coriaceous, shining, green leaves, alternately ar- 
ranged on the branches and ovate-lanceolate 
in shape, ornamented with small white flowers 
arranged in terminal corymbose panicles, and 
hermaphrodite; perianth, 6-parted, with a de- 
ciduous limb. The fertile stamens number 9, 
and these are arranged in three rows, the three 
inner ones supported at the base by two stipate, 
